Why it matters
For services bought locally, the map pack sits above the classic results and takes the lion's share of clicks. A business can be invisible there while ranking fine organically, and wonder why the phone doesn't ring.
How it works
The local algorithm weighs proximity, relevance and prominence: your Google Business Profile's completeness and category, review quantity and recency, and consistent name-address-phone details across the web. Your website supports it, but the profile does the heavy lifting.
What to do about it
Treat your Google Business Profile as a second homepage: correct categories, services, photos, posts, and a steady drip of reviews you answer. Consistency everywhere else follows.
